The world can sometimes be a harsh and unforgiving place. Despite progress over the centuries in condemning prejudice, it’s evident that it still lingers.
Perhaps one factor to blame is social media, where individuals can hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen to bully and harass others. What’s worse, many of these offenders go unpunished.
One father recently confronted despicable trolls who mocked a video of his daughter enjoying her birthday cake. The video showcased Megan Gavin, a girl with Down syndrome, happily indulging in her cake. However, some commenters stooped so low as to call her derogatory names like “downie” and “retard.”
Needless to say, Megan’s proud father, Scott Gavin from Merseyside, England, was deeply disturbed by the hateful comments, especially since he had shared the video to celebrate Megan’s first birthday.
In an interview with Metro, Scott expressed his initial shock turning into anger. However, he decided not to let the negativity ruin his daughter’s special day. Instead, he resolved to educate those ignorant individuals and spread love by sharing more pictures of Megan.
Sadly, Scott’s experience is not unique. He mentioned hearing similar heartbreaking stories from other parents of children with disabilities.
It’s baffling why some people view others with disabilities differently. This kind of behavior is both cowardly and ignorant. It’s infuriating to think that these individuals feel emboldened to spew hate simply because they can hide behind a computer screen.
Scott, know that you’re not alone in this fight. We stand with you, and we hope Megan had a wonderful first birthday despite the negativity.
